8 Pie Crusts to Wow Your Guests
Sundays are made for baking. For taking that time that you might not have during the crazy week to find your ahhh in your kitchen, hands deep into butter and flour and sugar. Well, with Thanksgiving Day merely days away, we thought we'd share a few fun toppers to inspire your lazy Sunday pie making. Whether you tackle one or two, or craft the whole shebang for your Thanksgiving table showstopper, remember that pie is never about perfection. It's about deliciously flaky pastry perfection built to house that ooozy boozy goodness tucked inside. So have some fun with these toppers..and send us a pic of the ones that turn out the best! And don't forget to check out our entire Thanksgiving Guide (made crazy easy...and beautiful!)
Fancy your pie crust to match your decor? Look no further than this chevron pie topper. It's sure to draw oohs and ahhs from the crowd! Plus, it's nothing more than a zig zag approach with a sharp knife so there is no fancy pants skills involved.
Reminiscent of the blinding reflection given off a big diamond, this easy starbust pie topper is for the glamorous gourmet. We think that it's perfect for a cherry or jewel toned pie because you get a tiny pop of fabulous color with this topper.
Our traditional plaid pie topper is the cook who craves a bit of nostalgia (or the first prize ribbon at a pie contest!). It's the over/under technique that you've seen before on a classic pie, but we've modernized it a bit with uneven strips and sweet miniature pots. I love these set on top of each placesetting with ice cream served table side.
Our fan pie topper will make any pie taste even better. Because it just feels couture. Like someone very chic was whipping up baked goodness with the same sense of fabulous that she does everything else. Best of all, it couldn't be simpler to create!
Swiss Dot pie toppers will make your dessert appear even fuller and richer than it already is. It's sweet, and textured and just plain lovely. Plus, it's a great starter topper for the beginner because it's so dang simple.
If you really want to impress your friends, opt for a word pie topper. While the "Love" topper is adorable, we think calling out the name of the pie (for example, an apple pie would have an "Apple" word topper) is a great alternative. Believe it or not, resident pie genius Jess, crafted this without any font assistance. But we would never dare. Try Carolyna for a pretty, scripty font that is weighty enough to make for a great topper.
The Herringbone pie topper alludes to your grandfather's favorite fall jacket. We think that this might look best on a simple winter berry pie and served in a classic white pie dish. It's pie beauty defined.
If you'd like to add a bit of feminine flair to your dessert, may we suggest our Ruffled pie topper? It brings to mind the delicious details of a gorgeous wedding dress (um, hello rustic chic brides...we're talking to you!) with layers and layers of simple folded "ruffles."
Now that you've reviewed some stunning things to do with pie crust, here's how you can make it! This is a really traditional pie crust but we've found that the simpler, the better when it comes to fruit filled goodness. And well, anything inspired by the Barefoot Contessa is worth saving in our book.
Ingredients
1 1/2 stick of cold, unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening
1/2 cup ice water
Directions
Dice the butter, returning to the refridgerator when you prepare the flour mixture.
Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and vegetable shortening. Pulse until the butter is about the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water into the mix and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out onto a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Fold the dough in half and place in a pie pan, unfolding to fit the pan. Repeat with top crust.
Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa.
